SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN said on Monday that she is “chapped” about income inequality and what it is doing to America. At a meeting at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette with […]
Warren ‘chapped’ about income inequality
Posted inGambling, The Download
Casino sausage
Watching the Greater Boston casino licensing process is a little like watching sausage get made. There are lots of rules and regulations and plenty of lawyers involved, but everything still […]
Posted inEnvironment
Utilities terminate Cape Wind power contracts
CAPE WIND FACED a potentially crippling blow Tuesday night as the state’s two largest utilities announced they were terminating their contracts to purchase roughly three-quarters of the power output of […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
For Patrick, a kick on the way out
Today’s Boston Globe story on the unveiling of Deval Patrick’s official gubernatorial portrait is headlined, “A last hurrah for governor.” Yesterday’s front-page takeout on his eight years in office offered […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Ed Brooke: A politician of integrity
Some men define their times; others are defined by them. Ed Brooke was a political leader who helped define his times, both here in Massachusetts and on the larger national […]
Posted inGambling
Walsh sues gaming panel over Wynn license
BOSTON MAYOR MARTY WALSH on Monday filed suit against the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, suggesting the city was coming up short in its bid to extract more mitigation money from Wynn […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
CDCs applaud new tax credit program
As the year’s end brings a barrage of appeals from nonprofit groups hoping to capitalize on the spirit of holiday giving, the state’s community development corporations are making a pitch […]
Posted inEnvironment
Pipeline foes attack natural gas study
Groups opposing the construction of a new natural gas pipeline coming into Massachusetts on Tuesday attacked a draft study suggesting the pipeline is needed, with one critic saying the $250,000 […]
Posted inHealth Care, The Download
Vermont pulls plug on single-payer
Earlier this year, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin told Vox that, for better or worse, the hopes of every advocate for single-payer health care rode on his state’s ambitious health care […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Vermont ends single payer bid
Many American dislike the Affordable Care Act not because it goes too far but because it does not go far enough, as observed in the chart below from the Kaiser […]
Posted inEnvironment
Patrick administration says state needs gas capacity
A new study commissioned by the Patrick administration has tentatively concluded that Massachusetts and all of New England need to expand the supply of natural gas coming into the region […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
Patrick’s school choice
A Boston Herald editorial today calls on Gov.-elect Charlie Baker to work to eliminate the cap on charter schools in Massachusetts. Baker has been a strong supporter of charters, independently-operated […]
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
GIC needs $120m more to cover shortfall
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE The state commission that oversees public employee health insurance coverage will likely need at least $120 million in additional funding this fiscal year, a request that […]
Posted inHealth Care, The Download
Health plan ad has hidden message
One of the more interesting items in the Boston Globe the last couple days has been a full-page ad from Neighborhood Health Plan. It appears to be one of those year-end, […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Sam Sutter, politician
No one will ever accuse Sam Sutter, the newly elected mayor of Fall River, of being dumb or blind. Or of lacking ambition. Sutter, the soon-to-be-former Bristol district attorney, saw […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
From Lottery games to Olympic Games
One of the biggest areas of concern when it comes to the potential of an Olympics in Boston, among both proponents and opponents of a Hub Games, is where to […]
Posted inEnvironment
Is Cape Wind running out of time?
Cape Wind officials, who several months ago were confidently predicting financing for the offshore wind farm would be wrapped up by the end of this year, are now saying they […]
Posted inHealth Care
State slaps Steward with $1,000/week fines
State officials are starting to assess $1,000-a-week fines on Steward Health Care for failing to turn over to regulators the company’s audited financial statements, with the current tab standing at […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Vivek Murthy and the ghosts of surgeon generals past
Brigham and Women’s Dr. Vivek Murthy finally becomes the US Surgeon General (if only due to procedural quirk in the often quirky Senate where old-timers like Harry Reid can get the […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service
Budget, pot, opioids top Baker priorities
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE If Sen. Elizabeth Warren breaks from her firm public stance and runs for president, she will have the backing of Congressman Michael Capuano, who said Monday […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Cruz-ing for big-money backers
Texas Sen.Ted Cruz thinks he can get himself elected president, and he’s gone to a friendly media outlet to try to gin up good press, give his base a preview […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Warren on prez run: ‘No means no’
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE If Sen. Elizabeth Warren breaks from her firm public stance and runs for president, she will have the backing of Congressman Michael Capuano, who said Monday […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Homeless for the holidays
It was bad enough that the city’s homeless shelter on Long Island was shuttered on several hours notice, with 450 beds suddenly yanked from the city inventory of places for […]
Posted inHealth Care
Partners reports $22m operating loss
Partners HealthCare on Friday reported an annual operating loss for the first time in 15 years as a subsidiary lost $110 million insuring state Medicaid patients and set aside another […]